Male wives, female husbands: women empowerment and the changing pattern of household structures in Nigeria

Enibokun Uzebu, University of Benin
Jacinta C. Nwaka, University of Benin

Hierarchy based on gender determines the course of decision-making in traditional Nigerian households. Women’s empowerment appears to be altering this family setting. It is on this note that this research is focusing on women’s empowerment and the changing pattern of household structures in Nigeria. The paper argues that economic hardship during the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in Nigeria necessitated the aggressive involvement of women in sourcing for the economic survival of their families, a role that was hitherto the men’s prerogative. Consequently, women who are able to improve their financial status more than their husbands are consciously and unconsciously assuming the responsibilities of their husbands as “female husbands” while husbands with no viable source of income stay more at home performing house hold chores that hitherto was the wives duties as “male wives”. The paper further discusses the implication of this development on household structures in Nigeria.